Leo XIV Is the Youngest Pope Since John Paul II

Aged 69, Pope Leo XIV is younger that his two predecessors, bucking the trend of newly elected popes becoming older. Benedict XVI and Francis were 78 and 76 at the time they were chosen for the highest office in the Catholic Church, which led to questions about their longevity.

At 69, Leo XIV is widely considered to be at the ideal age to enter the papacy, as he has a vast amount of experience to draw from, but should still be able to serve as pope for more than a decade, unforeseen circumstances notwithstanding.

As our chart dating back to 1900 shows, most popes of the past 125 years were selected when they were in their early to mid-60s. John XXIII, elected in 1958, Benedict XVI, elected in 2005 and Francis (2013), were the only ones who were well into their 70s by the time they for picked for the papacy.